Goin' South

Slow ticket sales are the likely reason Live Nation moved Street Scene from the Del Mar Fairgrounds to Coors Amphitheatre and its parking lot. Why the slow sales? Live Nation hasn't yet sold single-day tickets; only two-day tickets ($120) and VIP tickets ($300 and up) have been on sale. Last week, an insider said fewer than 1000 of those tickets had been sold.

Meanwhile, another theory has surfaced in regard to the venue change.

"Live Nation owns Coors [Amphitheatre]," says an insider. "They don't have to pay rent to themselves, plus they can keep the profits from alcohol sales."

But the plan to abandon the Del Mar Fairgrounds means Live Nation must forfeit a nonrefundable $40,000 deposit it paid to the Fairgrounds.

"This seems like very bizarre behavior," says a promoter, "but let's face it, Live Nation is a major corporation with deep pockets. They do things with two- and five-year plans in mind. This is the perfect example of the way a large corporation operates. It's always 'the bigger, the better.' But, in the end, a lot less gets done."

As of last week, Live Nation had not released the final band lineup. The Killers, Muse, Social Distortion, and Panic! at the Disco will headline. Single-day tickets go on sale August 18.

Coors Amphitheatre general manager Thierry Gray says "a couple thousand feet of fencing" will be used to surround temporary stages in the parking lot, but he does not know how many stages will be used.

"We have done lots of successful festival shows with outside stages." Ozzfest, the Warped Tour, and Projekt Revolution have all included stages in the parking lot.